Abstract

Electromagnetic Shielding is the process of creating a shield to prevent the propagation of electromagnetic waves across boundaries. The shielding of electromagnetic waves is necessary for almost every aspect of our lives, from cellphones and radios to aircraft and protection from high-powered electromagnetic attacks. With the discovery of new polymers, the metals previously used for shielding are slowly being replaced by composites that provide equal or better shielding with lower thickness and weight. Electrical conductivity is one of the main properties that significantly affects electromagnetic shielding. Thus, highly conductive nanocomposites are designed and fabricated in this work. Numerical analysis and finite element modeling are performed to understand better the electrical conductivity and shielding properties of the developed nanocomposites. Optical and electrical characterization is performed for two polymer nanocomposites to investigate their properties. Following the theoretical results, the electromagnetic shielding of one of the nanocomposites is tested. The experimental results are compared with the theoretical value obtained through finite element analysis for validation. The surface area covered by the conductive polymer for good shielding is also investigated, and the minimum surface coverage for a specific shielding efficiency was determined. The nanocomposite investigated is found to have excellent electromagnetic shielding properties while also having low weight and thickness.